Season 6 | Episode 16

In this powerful episode of Badassery Life, Kelly sits down with Linda Calvin, a national tech leader, attorney, storyteller, mentor, and fierce advocate for women and Black leaders in tech. She's also a survivor of childhood trauma and she's boldly telling that story.

Her journey is layered — growing up as the only Black child in a white family, surviving childhood sexual abuse, learning early to shrink, silence, and compartmentalize herself just to make it through.

But Linda didn’t stay in those shadows.

Inspired by a single hour of escape each week — Star Trek — she began imagining bigger worlds and eventually stepped into her own. Today she’s a VP in higher education, a writer, a leader, and a woman learning every day that she matters.

This conversation is raw, real, courageous — and full of hope.

Season 6 | Episode 15

In this episode, Kelly sits down with bestselling author and Loudmouth Books founder Leah Johnson — a woman using her voice, her books, and her bookstore to champion joy, representation, and radical visibility.

Leah’s debut novel, You Should See Me in a Crown, was named one of TIME’s 100 Best YA Books of All Time. Since then, she’s become a literary force and the bold, brilliant mind behind Loudmouth Books, an Indianapolis bookstore dedicated to uplifting banned, challenged, and marginalized voices.

In this conversation, Leah opens up about:

• How she discovered her voice — and why she refuses to shrink

• Writing stories rooted in joy, humor, queerness, and belonging

• Building Loudmouth Books as a space for visibility and community

• How she protects her creativity while navigating burnout and pressure

• What gives her hope in a time of censorship and cultural pushback

Leah Johnson shows us what it looks like to live loud, love boldly, and make space for others to be seen. Learn more about her at byleahjohnson.com.

If you live in Indianapolis, visit her bookstore: Loudmouth Bookstore.

season 6 | episode 14

Amanda Bonilla is a powerhouse advocate, speaker, and connector who’s made it her mission to create spaces where women can thrive. A first-generation college graduate, she’s navigated challenge and change with courage — from being the “first and only” Latina voice in many rooms to launching WE Brunch, an intentional gathering that empowers women through connection and conversation.

In this episode, Amanda shares how her early experiences shaped her resilience, what it means to build an ecosystem of support, and why representation and reinvention matter now more than ever.

She encourages you to use your own voice, create your own table, and lift up others along the way.

Season 6 | Episode 13

Jennifer Pace Robinson is the creative force and badass behind The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis -- the largest children’s museum in the world. After nearly 30 years of saying “yes” to bold ideas, she’s now the President & CEO, leading with curiosity, courage, and a whole lot of badassery.

From dinosaurs and princesses to global villages and powerful exhibits like Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See, Jennifer has turned imagination into impact and made learning come alive for millions. Her story proves that curiosity can change the world — and reminds us it’s not just for kids.

"I’m not afraid to step outside my bubble…to travel, try something new, meet someone new, build a relationship that makes something bigger than I could have done happen." - Jennifer Pace Robinson

In this episode, we dig into:
• How Jennifer worked her way from intern to CEO
• The “impossible” projects that actually worked
• What curiosity and creativity teach us about leadership
• How she balances innovation, vulnerability, and joy

childrensmuseum.org

Season 6 | Episode 12

Beth McCarthy Smith is the founder behind Simplicity Cold Pressed Juice & Cocktails.

Before she built a brand that landed everywhere from Whole Foods and Kroger to the Super Bowl Players Tailgate and the Indy 500, Beth was running fast in the corporate media world. But life threw her some curveballs: fertility struggles, health challenges, and a need to slow down and heal from the inside out.

Beth’s story is raw, real, and packed with lessons on resilience, reinvention, and joy. From juicing in her kitchen to leading one of Indy’s most recognized wellness brands, she shows us what it means to “fail forward” and to live life out loud.

In this episode, we dig into:

• How “failing forward” shaped her story

• The little mindset shifts that made a huge difference

• How she turned kitchen-counter juicing into a national brand

• What badassery means to her (hint: it’s not about being perfect)

https://simplicityjuice.com/

Jennifer Magley is fire, fearless, and full of badassery. From the tennis court to the keynote stage, she’s reinvented herself time and again — always out loud, always unapologetically.

In this episode, we talk about presence, audacity, and joy. We laughed. We got real. We got silly. And through it all, Jennifer reminds us what it means to boldly say what you want — over and over again — and then go for it.

Listen in as Jennifer talks about growing up, athletics, motherhood, dreams of being a background stooge on the Pat McAfee Show (ESPN) and to be a Talent Advocate in WWE, her LinkedIn power moves, and why she calls her mom her “Mom-ager.”

Jennifer is a former NCAA Division I head coach turned Chief Brand Officer of The Basketball League and Basketball Super League. A dynamic speaker and emcee named Woman of the Year by Pass The Torch for Women Foundation, and so much more. She brings energy, honesty, and humor to every stage and every conversation - including this one.https://www.magleyjennifer.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermagley/

Season 6 | Episode 10

This is a mini-episode — recorded LIVE during an event and shared completely unedited.

Joanna Taft is the badass visionary behind PreEnactIndy - an anti-gentrification project that uses the power of arts, community, and courage to reimagine what’s possible. We sat down with her LIVE during the latest PreEnactIndy and talked about turning fear into fuel, using creativity to connect with your neighbors, and how you can “preenact” the life you want.

Joanna Taft serves as the Executive Director of the Harrison Center in Indianapolis, where she leads initiatives that combine arts, community building, and storytelling to inspire lasting change.https://www.harrisoncenter.org/

#BadasseryLife #PodcastDrop #Preenactment #IndyArts #HarrisonCenter

She grew up in a log cabin. Now she leads one of the most historic women’s organizations in Indianapolis. This is the story of how Chelsea Marburger built a badass life of creativity, courage, and community impact.

In this episode of Badassery Life, Chelsea shares how she’s helped others through nonprofit leadership, launched a creative stationery brand that brings joy to others, and now serves as Executive Director of the historic Indianapolis Propylaeum — an organization founded by badass women 135 years ago and still going strong.

We talk about:

• The power of legacy and honoring women who came before us

• What it really means to show up with intention (even when things fall apart)

• Building community, chasing curiosity, and why “no body died and no body cried” is her life mantra

• What makes her happy (spoiler: horses and hype songs)

Chelsea reminds us that success isn’t about a straight path — it’s about showing up, staying open, and leaving every space (and person) better than you found it.

Season 6 | Episode 8

In this episode, we sit down with Jenny Boyts, President of Forty5 and the creative force behind some of Indy’s most electric music experiences (The Vogue, Rock the Ruins, Turntable, Made Rock & Roll). From growing up knowing she was gay at six in a deeply evangelical family, to leading massive events and making space for voices that don’t always get heard, Jenny shares how she’s learned to lead loudly — and unapologetically.

We talked about:

-Why making people feel seen drives everything she does
-What it means to stay true to yourself in a male-dominated industry
-And why her story is about so much more than music

https://www.forty5.com/

Season 6 | Episode 7

In this episode of Badassery Life, host Kelly Young sits down with Rosetta Clay—an equity advocate, social impact strategist, and fierce champion for women and girls. Rosetta shares how her personal journey shaped her professional calling, why true inclusion is about more than just workplace initiatives, and what it really means to lead with purpose, passion, and unapologetic truth.

Tune in for a conversation that’s honest, inspiring, and full of badass energy —from conversations about justice and systems change to reflections on self-care, sisterhood, and standing in your power.

Whether you're doing the work or just starting to lean into the conversation, this episode is for you.